The United States came back from 17 points down to beat Serbia and advance to the gold medal game of men’s basketball competition at the Olympics in Paris on Thursday. However, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic believes that his country’s semifinal loss was rigged against them.
He pointed to one momentum-changing moment in particular to make his point.
Vucic is so salty. Perhaps Team Serbia shouldn’t have allowed such a massive comeback in the first place. A singular dunk in what eventually became a four-point loss was not the difference.
The 54-year-old president would disagree. It is his genuine belief that officials at the Olympics intentionally avoided calls against the United States to allow the monstrous comeback.
His case is pretty weak. He only referenced one singular play.
Joel Embiid received a pass at the top of the key with seven minutes and 26 seconds left in the third quarter. The 7-foot center took two steps, dribbled once, then took two additional steps past Nikola Jokic to slam it home. It cut Team USA’s deficit from 12 to 10.
Serbia’s head coach wanted Embiid to be called for a travel. And to be fair, it probably was a travel.
Here is the play in question, as posted to X by Vucic:
У којој земљи ово нису кораци?
— Александар Вучић (@predsednikrs) August 9, 2024
П.С. Следећи пут нам унапред кажите кога не смемо да победимо. pic.twitter.com/7ssnZ34p6b
The losing country’s fifth president of all-time also expressed his frustration with the no-call.
In which country are these not steps?
P.S. Next time, tell us in advance who we can’t beat.
— Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic
That is a loose translation, but the messaging is the same. Vucic wanted the travel call and wants to know why the game was rigged against Serbia.
Again, to be entirely fair, he has a case for the travel here. Embiid definitely walked.
That doesn’t change the final result. One travel call does not erase a nearly 20-point comeback. It’s not like that was the only thing that prevented the Serbian side from winning.
Team USA was utterly dominant down the stretch and got the job done. Serbia should play better next time!